The Blanket Test
by bookstoreromantic
Summary: A/U post 1x06      David remembers Snow White that night, not Kathryn. Mary Margaret, worried for him, offers to let him stay with her and Emma. One-shot quick fic from a few weeks later.


Characters: David / Charming, Emma

Description: A/U post 1x06

David remembers Snow White that night, not Kathryn. Mary Margaret, worried for him, offers to let him stay with her and Emma. One-shot quick fic from a few weeks later.

The Blanket Test

He had passed all the tests.

She wanted to suspect that he had been coached but he was so adamant, so sure about everything. And since she had made the decision not to tell Henry yet, the two hadn't had reason to spend much time together.

No, he had passed all on his own. Convincingly too. Mary Margaret, she knew, oscillated between deep concern for his mental well-being and wanting desperately to believe and remember for herself their fairy tale. Emma might have been worried for him also, but there were other things on her mind.

The tests weren't enough. It wasn't enough for him to be quizzed on events from the book. Nor was it enough for her to point to people and him to recognize their fairy tale identities. She knew she had to test him again. She knew how to do it, but damned if she hadn't been holding back with every fiber of her being.

No more though. It had gone on long enough. If they were actually going to treat him as if he were Prince Charming – James not David – then she needed to be sure.

Mary Margaret had left for the school already, and David (James, Charming, whoever he was) was putting the sofa bed away when she came down from the loft, hands behind her back.

"I have another test for you."

He looked up and gave her a relaxed smile. "Should have known. Everything comes in threes." Throwing the seat cushions back onto the couch he sat down, and looked up at her. "So what is it?"

Emma held up a hand, keeping the other behind her still. "Mary doesn't get to know about this one."

"Oh?"

She didn't answer him. Taking a deep breath she forced herself to hand him the blanket.

He took it from her, and Emma stood with arms crossed watching as he considered it. He fingered the loose knit gently for some time. Then, eyes half closed, he turned it over and pressed his hand against the name stitched onto it.

It was a long moment before he looked up at her. "Emma."

Her eyes squeezed shut. "Don't. Don't even say it."

He stood up, the baby blanket tight in his hand, eyes searching her face. "Emma."

"Do you know how ridiculous it sounds?" She glared.

"Then why did you tell me?"

"I didn't," she muttered. "I had to find a test I knew you couldn't cheat on." She pushed the hair out of her face. "Mary Margaret does not get to know about this. And you and I are not talking about it."

He was standing right in front of her, still staring at her with that same look. "Okay."

"Okay?"

He (James, Charming, David) smiled. "Okay. But when she remembers, we will _all_ talk about it." He sat down on the armrest, the blanket draped over his leg. "And she will remember. Sooner than later, I think."

Emma exhaled. "I didn't know there were timelines on that sort of thing."

"I thought no time had passed, or at most only a year or two. Everyone looks the same. I thought I was going to be the only one to remember for a long time. That I escaped the curse because I was mostly dead when it hit." He looked up at her again. "I thought I would have to wait twenty-eight years for you to come. But it's _been_ twenty-eight years; I was in a coma the entire time. I didn't wake up because I escaped, but because it's breaking."

"Speaking of that," Emma pulled a stack of papers out of a side table drawer and handed them to him. "You're going to want to get started on this."

David (James, Charming) glanced over them. "What are these?"

"Kingdom's aren't handed to you by virtue of birth in this world. They're mayoral candidacy papers. You want to help break Regina's hold over the town then you need a hundred signatures by the end of next week. That is, if you think you're charming enough to pull it off."

He smiled at her. "Looks like I only need ninety-nine."

Emma shrugged. "Ninety-eight once Mary Margaret gets home from work. I'd recommend Granny's Diner as a place to start."


End file.
